With strong cash flow in the first half of the year and backed by a positive outlook for the rest of 2017, executives at Wolverine World Wide Inc. are getting aggressive in pursuing new growth opportunities.

Municipalities and Land Bank Authorities across the state — including several in West Michigan — have received more than $3.6 million from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to combat blight.

The board of the Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority today voted unanimously to support a new development agreement that could result in a new mixed-use entertainment district in the Arena South district.

• M&A: Rockford-based Wolverine World Wide Inc. has sold its Sebago brand of boat shoes to an offshoot of BasicNet S.p.A., a clothing and footwear company based in Turin, Italy. A subsidiary, TOS S.r.l., acquired the intellectual property rights for the Sebago trademarks and other assets in a deal valued at $14.25 million, excluding acquisition-related charges, according to a statement from BasicNet. For Wolverine, the move to offload the Sebago brand comes as part of a larger strategy that executives hope will streamline the organization and increase profitability amid a challenging consumer goods market. The two companies agreed to transition the brand to the new owner through the end of this year. Wolverine (NYSE: WWW) acquired Sebago Inc., a maker of penny loafers and docksiders boat shoes, in 2003.